CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of Notre Dame softball team dropped the series finale with the North Carolina Tar Heels Saturday afternoon at Anderson Stadium. The Fighting Irish scored first, but North Carolina battled back to drop the Irish 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Irish fell to 21-12 and 6-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. North Carolina improved to 24-9, and 6-6 in league play.
Alexis Laudenslager started in the circle. The graduate student threw 3.1 innings, allowing five hits, three earned runs and struck out three. Micaela Kastor came on in relief, getting out of a bases loaded jam. Kastor totaled 3.1 innings, allowing three hits, an earned run and struck out four.
Cassidy Grimm led the Irish offense, going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Emily Tran, Karina Gaskins, Addison Amaral, Mickey Winchell, Jane Kronenberger and Anna Holloway each tallied a hit in the contest. Kronenberger connecting for an RBI double late in the game.
How It Happened
Notre Dame struck first, rallying with two outs in the first inning. Gaskins tied the program record by drawing her 41st walk of the season to light the fuse as Amaral followed with an 0-2 single through the left side. Grimm drove a 0-1 offering to the gap in right center, scoring two to put the Irish up 2-0.
North Carolina took the lead in the fourth inning, plating three runs. The rally got started with a hit batter and a walk before a bunt single loaded the bases. A pinch hitter came on and singled through the left side to score two before a bases loaded ground out put the Tar Heels up 3-2.
The Irish rallied in the sixth inning, tying the game with two outs. With a runner on, Kronenberger drove a double to the gap in right center to score Winchell from first to tie the game at three.
After a scoreless top of the seventh, North Carolina got back-to-back two-out hits to score the game winning run.
Up Next
The Irish return to Melissa Cook Stadium for a pair of midweek games, taking on IUPUI Tuesday and Michigan on Wednesday. Both games are scheduled for 5 p.m. first pitches.